Strap positioning apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object at a strapping station preparatory to tightening the loop to shrink the same upon the object. A shuttle mounted for orbital movement in a closed horizontal path about the object receives and conducts the free end region of a length of strapping issuing from a dispenser and, during its orbital movement, carries such free end around the object and thus draws strapping from the dispenser and wraps the same circumferentially about the object to produce the loop.

United States Patent 1191 Tyler Dec. 10, 1974 [54] STRAP POSITIONING APPARATUS 3,337,153 8/1967 Hamlin et a1. 242/75.43 3,379,121 41968 L 100 2 [75] Inventor: Kenneth R. Tyler, Arlmgton em I Heights Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite [73] Assignee: Signode Corporation, Glenview, lll. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward R. Lowndes 22 Fl (1: O 25 7 l 1 ct 19 57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 409686 An apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object at a strapping station preparatory to tighten- 52 us. c1 100/27, 53/1393, 53/198 R g the p to shrink the same 9 the j A [51] Int. Cl B65b 13/10 Shuttle mounted for Orbital nt in a l s d or- [58] Field of Search 53/1393, 198; 100/2, 27, izental p about the objeet receives and conducts 100/28, 7, 8; 156/475; 254/134 CL; 242/7543 the free end region of a length of strapping issuing from a dispenser and, during its orbital movement, [56] Refe Cit d carries such free end around the object and thus draws UNITED STATES PATENTS strapping from the dispenser and wraps the same cir- 2,563,542 8/1951 Mackelduff 100/27 x cumferemlany about the object to produce the loop 2,972,843 2/1961 DuBroff 53/198 R 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEB SEC 1 01974 SHEH 10F 2 PAIENIEB ER 1 Own SNEEI 28F 2 1 STRAP POSITIONING APPARATUS The present invention relates to an apparatus for encircling an object with a horizontal loop of strapping material preparatory to tightening the loop upon the object and subsequently sealing the overlapping ends of the loop by crimping a metal seal thereover in the case of either steel or plastic strapping, or by fusing such ends together in the case of fusible plastic strapping.

Heretofore, in connection with-tthe strapping of an object which possesses sufficient girth that it is either impractical or impossible for a single operator to manually pass a strap completely around the same without having to walk around the object, it has been the practice in the interests of time saving to employ two opera tors, one on each side of the strapping station. The first operator to whom the job of actually performing the manual strapping operation is assigned withdraws a length of strapping from a strapping dispenser, pulls it across the front face of the object at the desired strapping level, and then passes it rearwardly and partially across one side face of the object where it is received by the operator on the rear side of the strapping station. This latter operator then pulls the leading end of the strapping across the rear face of the object and passes -it back to the first operator across the other side face cost factor, but during their joint operations each operator is obliged to attend to the matter of manipulating his portion of'the strapping to maintain it at the desired horizontal levelinorder' that the tensioned and. sealed strap loop will be evenly orsquarely applied to the ob- .natively, to employ plural strap chutes. By reason of these limitations, the use of strap chutes is ordinarily reserved for the strapping of extremely large objects, the chutes being associated with fully automatic strapping apparatus where the operator is not obliged to manually handle the strapping material or the strapping head which performs the tensioning, sealing and severing'operations.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon present day methods of an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object preparatory to tensioning such loop and, toward this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a semi-automatic apparatus which, when operatively disposed at a strapping station, embodies a strap-gripping shuttle which is movable in orbital fashion-and in a horizontal circular path about the object, to the end that when the free end of a length of strapping emanating from a suitable dispenser is attached by the operator to the shuttle, such end will be carried around the object and returned to the vicinity of the operator during the orbital movement of the shuttle. The operator may then withdraw the free end region of the strap from the shuttle and manipulate it inthe usualmanner of performing strapping operations to establish the aforementioned strap ject. Since the two operators perform their respective duties independently of each other, and in the absence of performing careful and time-consuming height measuring operations, it is not surprising that many improper and off-center strapping operations are performed in the commercial strapping of objects.

In an effort to eliminate the necessity for employing two operators during the strapping of relatively large objects, it has long been the practice to insert the strapping material endwise into and through a generally circular strap chute which at least partially encircles the strapping station so that the free end of the strapping which is fed into the chute is returned to the vicinity of the operator where he may effect the required overlap with the feed end of the strapping loop preparatory to performing the tensioning, sealing and severing operaoverlap.

The invention further provides a means whereby,

during the orbital motion of the shuttle about the object, the strapping material which is pulled from the dispenser and applied to the object in wrap-around fashion is maintained at the desired or proper horizontal strapping level so that uniform strapping of successive objects at the strapping station will take place with no strap misalignment at any portion of the strapping loop. Additional advantageous features of the invention reside in the provision of a means whereby the orbital diameter of the shuttle may be increased or decreased at will so as to accommodate objects of varying width, and whereby the height of the orbital path may be varied to accommodate objects of varying height, or the placement of straps at different levels on the same object.

Yet another advantageous feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel gripper unit or assembly which is associated with the aforementioned shuttle, such assembly facilitating ease of application and removal of the strapping to and from the shuttle by the simple expedient of merely inserting the strapping edgewise into the assembly and withdrawing the same in a similar manner, the assembly however resisting longitudinal'slippage of the strapping during shuttle orbiting.

The provision of a strap positioning apparatus such as has briefly been outlined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes the principal object of the present invention.

The provision of an apparatus which is relatively simple in its construction and is comprised largely of commercially available components so that it may be produced at a low cost; one which is comprised of a minimum number of parts, particularly moving parts, and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order; one

which is rugged and durable and which therefore will withstand rough usage; one in which the component parts are readily accessible for purposes of inspection of 'parts, replacement or repair; one which requires no particular degree of skill for its operation; and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will become readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown.

IN THESE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a strap positioning apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention and showing the same operatively disposed at a strapping station preparatory to performance of a strap positioning operation;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom elevational view of a limited portion of the structure shown in FIG. 2, the view being taken in the vicinity of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIG.

embodying the present invention is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral and it is shown as being operatively installed at a strapping station S where an object such as a rectangular package P is shown as undergoing strapping. The object may be brought into position at the strapping station S on a series of live rollers 12 associated with a suitable conveyor l4 and the function of the apparatus 10 is to facilitate withdrawal of steel, plastic or other strapping material 16 from a strapping dispenser 18 and the subsequent passage or conduction of the free end of the strapping horizontally about the package in orbital fashion so as to draw the strapping against the object and create a substantially closed loop, after which the operator may cause the free end of the strapping to overlap the feed end thereof preparatory to tensioning the loop and effecting a seal between such ends in the .usual manner of conventional strapping operations.

' The apparatus is capable of effecting application of the strapping loop to the object at any selected elevation and, in FIG. 1 a completed tensioned and sealed strapping loop 20 is shown as having been applied to the object P in the lower region thereof while a second loop is shown as undergoing completion about the upper region of the article.

Briefly, in carrying out the invention, 'there is provided a strap shuttle 22 which normally assumes a position at one side of the conveyor 14 and which is adapted to receive the free end of the strapping 16 which issues from the dispenser 18. As will be described in greater detail presently,'the shuttle 22 has associated therewith strap gripping facilities to which the free end of the strapping is applied and, after the application is made by the operator, the shuttle 22 is caused to orbit around the article in a horizontal circular path, thus carrying the free end of the strapping about the article so as to pull the strapping from the dispenser and wrap the same around the article progressively. A stationary strap guide 24 which is interposed between the dispenser 18 and the shuttle 22 is provided with an eyelet through which the strapping is threaded, the strap guide serving to hold the feed end region of the strapping loop at approximately the same horizontal level as that of the orbiting shuttle 22 to insure accurate horizontal strap application to the article. The shuttle 22 is supported on a rotary carriage 26 the movements of which are effected under the control of a motor M which, preferably but not necessarily, is of the pneumatic type and a foot treadle 28 (FIG. 9), which is positioned alongside theconveyor 14 on the operating side thereof, at a region which is convenient to the operator of the apparatus, enables the operator to control the circular movements of the shuttle 22. Thus, at the commencement of any given strapping operation, the operator may cause the free end of the strapping 16 issuing from the eyelet-supporting strap guide 24 to be secured in the shuttle 22, after which depression of the treadle 28 will cause the shuttle to travel in a circular horizontal path around the article P, the free end region of the strapping thus being returned to the operator after it has completed its revolution and the operator may then remove such free end region from the shuttle and cause it to assume an overlapping relation with respect to the feed end of the strapping so that strap tensioning and sealing operations may be carried out on the overlapping portions by means of a suitable portable strapping tool.

Considering the apparatus 10 in greater detail, and still referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the apparatus involves in its general organization a generally I-I-shaped base framework 29 (FIG. 4) including a rear frame member 30, a front member 32 and an intermediate transverse member 34. Each of these members is preferably formed from tubular metal stock which is square in cross section. These three frame members are fixedly secured together by welding and small anglepieces 36 are secured to the opposite ends of the frame members 30 and 32 respectively in slightly downwardly offsetrelationship and constitute, in effect and in the interests of stability, four supporting feet for the base framework.

Projecting vertically upwardly from the medial re-' gion of the rear frame member 30 is a rectangular tubular column 40 the upper end of which serves to support a horizontal tubular carriage-supporting beam 42. The effective length of the beam 42 is approximately equal to or is slightly greater than the distance between the base frame members 30 and 32 so that the distal end of the beam overlies or overlaps the centerline of the conveyor 18, and consequently the vertical center of the object P at the strapping station S. It is to be noted at this point that the conveyor 18 is of the dual flight type and consists of a pair of spaced apart rollercarrying sections 44 and 46 (FIG. 2), thusenabling the base frame member 32 to assume a longitudinal position whichlies on the centerline of the conveyor 18 when considered as a whole.

Fixedly secured to the distal end of the beam 42 is a motor mount or platform 50 which serves to support thereon the aforementioned pneumatic motor M, together with an associated gear reduction device 52. The gear redu tion device is provided with an output shaft 54 (see also FIG. 5) which is operatively connected in driving relationship by means of a coupling device 56 to a vertical suspension shaft 58, the lower end of which serves to support a horizontally disposed guide sleeve 60 within which there is slidably disposed the inner end region of a radially extending arm 62. The outer end of the arm 62 has welded or otherwise secured thereto the upper end of a vertically disposed shuttle-supporting arm 64. Both the horizontal radially extending arm 62 andthe vertical shuttle-supporting arm 64 are of rectangular tubular construction and, in combination with the guide sleeve 60, constitute the aforementioned rotary carriage 26. The strap-carrying shuttle 22 is slidably disposed on the arm 64 in the lower regions thereof and means are provided whereby the elevation of such shuttle may be varied to accommodate the application of strapping loops to the object P at selected elevations, all in a manner that will be made clear subsequently. Means are also provided whereby the effective length of the radially extending arm 62 may be varied to accommodate the strapping of articles of varying width, it being desirable that the shuttle 22 shall perform its orbital movement around the package in reasonably close proximity to the latter, in order that only a minimum amount of the strapping 16 will be withdrawn from the dispenser 18 during the strapping of any given object and also in order that the operator will not be burdened with the handling of excess strapping in the vicinity of the strapping station.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 wherein the details of the shuttle 22 are best illustrated, such shuttle embodies a gripper assembly 70 and a guide sleeve assembly 72. The gripper assembly 70 is in the form of an upwardly opening cradle having an inside wall 74, a bottom wall 76 and an outside wall 78 in the form of a relatively thick inverted U-shaped anvil having side legs 80 and an upper connecting bridge portion 82 (FIG. 8). A transverse pin 83 (FIGS. 6 and 7) extends between the two side legs 80 and serves to pivotally support a rocking gripper carrier 84 on which there is rotatably mounted a gripper wheel 86 having a knurled periphery. A conventional spring plunger 88 is threadedly received in the bridge portion 82 and serves to yieldingly urge the outer end of the gripper carriage 84 downwardly so as to yieldingly bias the carriage in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6, thus causing the gripper wheel 86 to bear against the inside face of the anvil 78. From the above description it will be apparent that when the free end region of the strapping 16 is in serted edgewise into the shuttle 22 between the gripper wheel 86 and the anvil 78, the wheel will roll tractionally in a clockwise direction to readily admit the strapping and, thereafter, the strapping will be securely held in position between the gripper wheel and anvil. Conversely, upon manually lifting the strapping upwardly, the gripper wheel 84 willroll tractionally in a counterclockwise direction so as to readily release the strapping from the shuttle. During orbital movement of the shuttle about the article P, tension will be applied to the strapping so as to withdraw the same from the dispenser l8 and, in the absence of any peripheral torque on the gripper wheel, the same will continue to bind the strapping firmly against the anvil 78.

The guide sleeve assembly 72 encompasses the shuttle-supporting arm 64 and is vertically slidable thereon, both the arm and sleeve being generally square in transverse cross section as shown in FIG. 7. One side of the arm 64 is provided with a row of longitudinally spaced holes 90 which are designed for selective cooperation with a spring pressed plunger 92 having a knurled manipulating head 94 and carried by the adjacent side of the encompassing guide sleeve 72. By withdrawing the plunger 92 from any given hole 90, the guide sleeve 72, and consequently the gripper assembly 70 will be released so that it may be shifted vertically on the arm 64 in either direction so as to relocate the shuttle 22 at a different elevation relative to the object P undergoing strapping.

The underneath side of the aforementioned radially extending arm 60 is provided with a series of horizontally and longitudinally spaced holes 96. (FIGS. 3 and 5) therein and the encompassing guide sleeve 60 which serves to slidably support the arm 62 is similar to the guide sleeve 72 except for the fact that the spring pressed plunger 98 which is associated therewith is provided with a pull tab in the form of a ring 100 which is designed for cooperation with an elongated hooked rod or similar tool (not shown) by means of which the operator may reach upwardly and pull such ring to release the arm 62 from the guide sleeve 60 for radial adjustment purposes.

The strapping dispenser 18 may be of any conventional reel type and no claim is made herein to any novelty associated with the same. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the particular dispenser selected for exemplary purposes herein embodies a dispenser base 102 from which there projects upwardly an H-shaped standard 104 which rotatably supports the spool or reel 106 on which the roll 108 of involutely wound strapping 16 is carried. Preferably, the dispenser selected for use in connection with the present invention will have associated therewith inherent means for retarding the feed of strapping from the dispenser or for otherwise preventing overrunning of the strapping reel after the pulling force on the strapping has been terminated. One such dispenser which is well adapted for'use in connection with the present invention is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,153, granted on Apr. 2, 1967 and entitled Strapping Dispenser. In the absence of such inherent strapping overrun prevention means, strap retardation may be accomplished by applying a friction brake shoe such as has been disclosed at 110 in FIG. 1

to the periphery of the strapping reel 106, the shoe being mounted at the upper end of a flexible spring arm 1 l2.

The dispenser base 102 projects forwardly of the H- shaped standard 104 and supports a vertically extending post 114 which is formed of square tubularmetal stock and one side of which is provided with a series of vertically spaced holes 116. The aforementioned strap guide 24 is slidable vertically on the post 114, is similar to the aforementioned guide sleeves 60 and 72 and is provided with a spring-pressed plunger having a knurled manipulating head 122, the plunger being designed for cooperation with the holes 116 in the post 114 to the end that the elevation of the strap guide 24 may be varied at will. The strap guide 24 carries an eyelet 124 through which the strapping 16 is adapted to beloosely threaded, such eyelet determining the horizontal level at which the strap loop is applied to the object P during orbital movement of the shuttle 22.

Ordinarily, under conditions where the articles undergoing strapping are brought to the strapping station S manually, and in the absence of a conveyor such as the conveyor 14, the dispenser 18 may be mounted directly on the floor or other foundation surface. However, in the illustrated form of the invention, inasmuch as conveyor means are provided for bringing the articles into position at the strapping station, the dispenser 18 is mounted in a slightly elevated position on a-pair of channel members 126 (FIG. 2) and the dispenser base 102 is capable of being bolted in selected positions on such base to the end that the dispenser may be caused to overlie the front side of the conveyor 14 in order to align the dispenser and strap guide in a longitudinal direction with the outer front surface of articles of varying width at the commencement of and during the strap positioning operation.

The aforementioned foot treadle 28 (FIG. 9) by means of which air is supplied to the pneumatic motor M for the purpose of effecting orbiting movement of the shuttle 22 around the object P at the strapping station S is associated with a conventional shut-off valve V to which air is supplied from a suitable source of compressed air through an air line 130 which leads to the valve inlet. The valve outlet is connected directly to the pneumatic motor M through an air line 132 (see also FIG. Normally the valve V remains closed so that no air is supplied to the motor M but, upon depression of the treadle 28, the valve becomes open and air flows from the line 130 to the line 132 and from thence to the motor M. The treadle 28 and valve V, together with a treadle shield 134, are constructed as a unitary assembly which may be positioned on the floor or foundation surface in the vicinity of the strapping station S and at a region-which is convenient to the operator.

'In the operation of the herein described strap positioning apparatus, after a given object P has been brought into position on the conveyor 14'at the strapping station S, the operator will initially adjust the position of the dispenser 18 so that the spool 106, strap guide 24 and front side of the object P are in approximate alignment. It may be assumed that at this time the radially extending arm 62 will remain in the same position which it assumed at the conclusion of a previous strapping operation so that the shuttle carrying arm 64 will lie in the vicinity of the space which exists between the post 114 and the front right hand corner of the object P as shown in FIG. 1. It may also be assumed that the elevation of, the shuttle 22 on the post 64 has been properly adjusted to the desired strapping level of the object. With the parts in this position, the operator will withdraw a length of strapping 16 from the dispenser l8 and thread the same through the eyelet 124-and then insert the free end region of such strapping into the cradle-like gripper assembly 70 between the gripper wheel 86 and anvil 78 (FIG. 7), after which he will depress the foot treadle 28 (FIG. 9) so as to open the valve V and cause air to be supplied to the motor M.

Such energization of the motor will effect rotation of the carriage 26, thus causing the vertical arm 64 and the shuttle 22 which is supported thereon to orbit in a circular path around the object P. Such orbital movement of the shuttle will draw the strapping 16 through the eyelet 124 and progressively wrap thesame around the object as schematically illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 4, the strap loop moving into intimate contact with the object after the shuttle moves past each corner thereof. The retardation of the strapping which is offered by the dispenser I8 and its associated brake shoe 110 will maintain intimate contact of the strap loop with the object during the entire strap positioning operation.

At such time as the shuttle 22 has effected substantially one complete orbital movement around the object P, the operator will remove his foot from the treadle 28, thus stopping the motor M and causing the shuttle to assume substantially its initial position, whereupon the operator will then withdraw the free end region of the strapping loop from the gripper assembly by lifting the same vertically as previously described, and bring such free end region into overlapping relationship with respect to the feed end region of the loop in the usual manner of performing manual strapping operations. Thereafter the strapping loop may be tensioned, a seal such as that shown at 17in FIG. 1 applied to the overlapping portions of the loop, and the excess strapping severed from the loop, utilizing conventional strapping equipment (not shown) for such purposes.

The strap positioning apparatus 10 of the present invention is readily adaptable to the strapping of objects of varying size and shape. Accordingly, the strapping of a relative short cylindrical article P2 such as has been shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 may be accomplished in substantially the same manner as that described in connection with the rectilinear object P, it being merely necessary to alter the elevation of the strap guide 24 on the post 114, to similarly alter the elevation of the shuttle 22 on the vertical arm 64, and to adjust the position of the dispenser 18 on the channel members 126 so as to align the dispenser reel 106 and eyelet 124 with the object as previously described.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as to various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the invention has been described herein as embodying a strapping dispenser wherein the strap reel is frictionally retarded to prevent reel overrun and maintain a moderate amount of tension in the strapping during the article encircling operation, where a dispenser-is employed which. is devoid of such frictional retardation, any suitable means such as a series of staggered rollers or a pair of pressure pads on opposite sides of the strapping may be employed.

-Additionally, whereas the exemplary form of the invention disclosed herein employs a pneumatically operable motor M, it is within the purview of the invention to employ an electric or other motor, in which case the foot treadle 28 and valve V may be replaced by a suitable pedal-operated switch arrangement by means of which electric current may be supplied to the motor at will. Therefore, only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by letters patent is 1. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station prepara' tory to tensioning the loop about the object, in combination, a shuttle mounted for orbital movement in a closed horizontal arcuate path about said object, gripper means on said shuttle for releasably clamping the free end region of a length of strapping issuing from a strapping source, and means operable at will for effecting orbital movement of the shuttle in such closed path throughout substantially one complete revolution to draw the strapping from said source and wrap the same progressively about the object.

2. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a fixed support disposed above the level of said object, a radial arm haaving its inner end pivoted to the support for swinging movement of the arm about a vertical axis, and a substantially vertically extending arm depending from the outer end of said radial arm, and said shuttle is mounted on said depending arm.

3. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for effecting orbital movement of the shuttle comprises a motor mounted on said support and operatively connected in driving relationship to the inner end of said radial arm.

4. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the

combination set forth in claim 3, wherein said radial arm is extensible and contractible to vary its effective length.

5. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 4, including, additionally, a strap guide disposed in between the source of strapping and the strapping station and in the horizontal plane of the shuttle and engageable with the strapping for maintaining the feed end region of the strapping loop substantially at the horizontal level of the free end region during orbital movement of the shuttle.

6. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 5, wherein means are provided for adjusting the vertical position of the shuttle on said depending arm, and means are provided for adjusting the vertical position of the strap guide.

7. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said motor is of the pneumatically operable type, and valve means operable under the control of a foot treadle is disposed in the vicinity of the strapping station and is effective upon depression of the treadle to energize said motor.

8. ln an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim I, wherein means are provided for frictionally retarding the flow of strapping from said source during orbital movement of the shuttle. 

1. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station preparatory to tensioning the loop about the object, in combination, a shuttle mounted for orbital movement in a closed horizontal arcuate path about said object, gripper means on said shuttle for releasably clamping the free end region of a length of strapping issuing from a strapping source, and means operable at will for effecting orbital movement of the shuttle in such closed path throughout substantially one complete revolution to draw the strapping from said source and wrap the same progressively about the object.
 2. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a fixed support disposed above the level of said object, a radial arm haaving its inner end pivoted to the support for swinging movement of the arm about a vertical axis, and a substantially vertically extending arm depending from the outer end of said radial arm, and said shuttle is mounted on said depending arm.
 3. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for effecting orbital movement of the shuttle comprises a motor mounted on said support and operatively connected in driving relationship to the inner end of said radial arm.
 4. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 3, wherein said radial arm is extensible and contractible to vary its effective length.
 5. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 4, including, additionally, a strap guide disposed in between the source of strapping and the strapping station and in the horizontal plane of the shuttle and engageable with the strapping for maintaining the feed end region of the strapping loop substantially at the horizontal level of the free end region during orbital movement of the shuttle.
 6. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 5, wherein means are provided for adjusting the vertical position of the shuttle on said depending arm, and means are provided for adjusting the vertical position of the strap guide.
 7. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said motor is of the pneumatically operable type, and valve means operable under the control of a foot treadle is disposed in the viciNity of the strapping station and is effective upon depression of the treadle to energize said motor.
 8. In an apparatus for positioning a loop of strapping about an object disposed at a strapping station, the combination set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for frictionally retarding the flow of strapping from said source during orbital movement of the shuttle. 